


Get Out of This Town

by Capucine



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Feelings, Gen, Inspired by Music, Leaving Home, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2019-01-15 12:26:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12321066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Capucine/pseuds/Capucine
Summary: It's time to leave Gotham, and Tim welcomes that.





	Get Out of This Town

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by listening to LA Song by Beth Hart. Just kinda a feelingsy little oneshot.

His eyes were on the droplets of water that fell slowly down the windshield. The light was red, and it reflected through the water and the gray day. 

Tim double-checked his GPS; yes, he was on the right track. It was the next street he was supposed to turn at. His mug was full of coffee next to him, black. The scent seemed to overpower the rainy day smell that he probably was imagining within the shady light of the car.

Bruce would see his resignation; he’d already made the announcement at a private meeting with the board, soothing their fears of transition and who would take his place more deftly than even he’d imagined he could. They were ready for Bruce to return, and he was ready to go, and as long as he wasn’t bailing on them, they were able to take it calmly.

He just couldn’t ignore the feeling anymore, at this point.

It had struck him a month ago. It was like a bag of rain water.

_I have to get out of this city._

He’d shrugged it off at the time, but it persisted, showing up in different ways throughout the month.

_I gotta get out of here._

It was like he was just done with Gotham. Not with many things that mattered, but the places were old and hollow, and the atmosphere never changed. There were too many places that were heavy with memory in a way that could sink a balloon, and there were too many places that just meant nothing. Too many places that had been replaced by meaningless signs and businesses.

So, here he was, on one of the more rural roads, many miles out of Gotham. It was strange how lacking in tension traffic was all the way out here, and how much space the other drivers gave him. 

He’d already arranged a place to stay; it was about a town or two over from Smallville, Kansas. 

He figured he might as well be in the neighborhood, even though he sort of wanted to start over fresh.

His phone buzzed about then, the noise like a bird chirp—Dick. Somehow, Tim wasn’t surprised, yet, he was very calm about it. He glanced at the text at the next stoplight, since almost no one was behind him.

_everything ok? B told me you resigned :( is something wrong?_

Tim felt weirdly unperturbed, texting him back quickly that everything was fine, he just needed a change of pace.

As soon as he sent the text, the phone rang, and Tim cursed the classic tactic—Dick would know he could hear his phone if he’d literally just texted back. He sighed, and picked it up.

“Yes, Dick?”

“Hey. Everything _is_ okay, right? Bruce didn’t say anything, or nothing big happened on a mission--”

“No, no. Dick, I’m not a crisis waiting to happen. I just...needed to be somewhere else.”

“Is Damian doing okay? I mean, with you? Cause if you think you have to leave--”

“No, Damian’s okay.” Tim let out a sigh. “I’ve lived in Gotham all my life, Dick. Eighteen years is a lot of time to be in one place. You get that, don’t you?”

That made Dick laugh. “Is this like Bludhaven?”

The unspoken question: _Is this like me deciding to be Nightwing?_

“Yes, more or less,” Tim responded.

He could almost hear the pride in Dick’s voice as it came through the phone. “Gotcha. I’m glad it’s that—but seriously, don’t be a stranger. And don’t just disappear on me, got it? Cause it’s gonna be hell talking Bruce into not being a well-meaning stalker.”

“I know,” Tim said, an easy grin coming to his face. “Sorry.”

“Yeah, well...enjoy your independence. And let me know when I can come visit!”

“I will,” Tim found himself saying, a warm feeling in his chest.

“Bye.”

“Bye.”

And as he drove off into the rain and the misty, grassy hills on the first day of his trip to his new home, Tim found himself crying as hard as the rain. And yet, he wouldn’t describe it as sadness pervading his chest, but instead, change.

And that was a welcome change.


End file.
